Portable refrigerating container



June28,'193Z- J. L. WOOD 1,864,574

I PORTABLE REFRIGERATING CONTAINER Filed Jan. 19, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 T I l i? di jrrok/vfY Patented June 28, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE JOSEPH L. WOOD, OF ATLANTIC HIGHLANDS, JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO AMERICAN CAR AND FOUNDRY COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY PORTABLE REFRIGERATING CONTAINER Application filed January 19, 1931. Serial No. 509,598.

This invention relates generally to containers and has particular reference to portable refrigerating containers for perishable food stuffs which must be maintained ata low temperature.

At the present time the use of solid carbon dioxide as a refrigerant is becoming more and more extensive and this invention contemplates the use of such a refrigerant for maintaining a transportation and storage box at a low temperature whereby to preserve perishable food stuffs.

In carrying out the present invention, a box is provided which receives removable trays, maintained in spaced relation with reference to the inner walls of the box whereby to provide a space completely around the trays for permitting circulation of carbon dioxide gas which will form an insulatin blanket around the trays and hence aroun the food stuffs carried thereby. Certain of the trays are designed to receive the perishable goods and another tray is designed to receive the solid carbon dioxide.

One object of this invention is to provide a box for the purpose specified which comprises a box having an inner lining of a metal possessing high corrosion resistant properties and an outer sheathing preferably of metal, the walls of the box being formed preferably of a material possessing insulating properties such, for example, as Balsa wood inasmuch as this material has desirable properties of rigidity and lightness not found 1n most insulating materials.

The box is providedwith a cover which is normally held in place by suitable latch means and this cover preferably follows the general construction of the body portion of the box.

Carbon dioxide gas is very difficult to control and to confine. It will escape through the most minute opening. The present invention takes advantage of this well known property of the gas in providing a portable container having as a part thereof. a closure which is connected in substantiallysealing relation to the remainder of the container whereby to prevent the admission of outside air to the chamber to be refrigerated, the sealing joint being such as to permit the escape of carbon dioxide gas from the chamber after it has absorbed heat, to an extent such that the gas has risen in the chamber. It is a well known fact that carbon dioxide gas as it sublimes from solid carbon dioxide is much heavier than air and hence, in a closed chamber, will drop by gravity,- thus displacing the air in the chamber and forcing said air upward- VVith this in mind it is apparent that l the specific gravity of the carbon dioxide gas sets up and maintains a circulation of the gas Within the chamber; the gas as it absorbs heat rising and escaping from the chamber through the sealing oint between the closure and the remainder of the container. This sealing joint it will be apparent, while excluding air from the chamber also retards the escape of carbon dioxide gas from the chamber and the gas permeates the chamber to form'an insulating blanket of cold gas around the perishable goods to be refrigerated. and also around the solid carbon dioxide, this latter providing a means for preventing an excessive subliming of the solid carbon dioxide.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will be apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation embodying the precepts of this invention with the parts broken away and shown in section, this view being taken about on the planes represented by the broken line 11 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 2 is a plan view somewhat diagrammatic, of a part broken away and shown in section and is taken about on the planes represented by the broken line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary top view showing the outside casing of the box.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary end elevation with the part broken away and showing the method of connecting the cover to the box.

Fig. 5 is a plan view partly in section showing a tray for holding the goods to be transported or stored.

- Fig. 6 is a side view partly in elevation and partly in section taken about on the planes represented by the broken line 6-6 of Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is a plan of the tray for holding the solid carbon dioxide.

- Fig. 8 is a side View partly in section and g partly in elevation taken about on the planes represented by the broken line 8-8 of Fig. 7.

Referring now more particularly to -the drawings, the container or box of the present invention comprises a main body portionindicated generally at A, a cover B, re-

movable lading carrying trays C and a refrigerant holding tray D. In the drawings, the container is shown as having two lading holding trays, but obviously this is merely by way of example.

The body portion of the container comprises side and bottom walls 2 and 4 respectively, formed in the main of relatively light material possessing great insulating properties, such as Balsa wood or the like. In con structing the body portion the side and bot tom walls are preferably interfitted in a tongue and groove manner as shown at 6, and the respective side walls are similarly interconnected as shown at 8 (see Fig. 2). If desired, suitable fasteners may also be employed for connecting the side and bottom walls, but they are not altogether essential in view of the sheathing and lining hereinafter referred to.

It has been found desirable to form the upper edges of the side walls so that they may be strong enough to resist stresses to which the box is subjected in service and preferably the upper edges of the side walls are formed of a material tougher than that of the remaining portion of said side walls and to that end the upper edges of the side walls are formed of separate elements 10 of wood, interconnected with each other and with the remaining portions of the side walls as shown at 12; the elements 10 defining an independent rim 14 for the body portion of the container. For stifi'ening purposes the elements 10 forming the rim 14 are so arranged that the grain thereof is. generally speaking, at substantially right angles to the grain of the Balsa wood sides, and said elements 10 are provided with cut-away portions which define a shoulder 16 extending completely around the inner portions of the side walls adjacent the upper edges thereof.

The body portion of the container is provided with a. sheathing 18 formed preferably of metal. the sheathing sections being connected at the edges of the body portion at seams 20. The bottom wall 4 is also externally sheated by a metal sheathing 18 and the side sheathing underlaps thebody portion and is seamed with the sheathing of the bottom wall as at 22 thereby defining a continuous flange around the bottom of the container which serves as a supporting element.

The upper edges of the metal sheathina 18 overlap the upper edges of the rim 14 of the body portion and may be secured thereto in any suitable or desired manner. In practice a. vanized steel has been used for the sheathing but any desirable metal may be employed and the several sections of the sheathing may be united at the seams by welding whereby to add to the permanency of the body portion and to provide additional stiffening means. The container of the present inventionis subjected to severe service conditions and it will be obvious that the corner or edge seams of the sheathing provide stiffening ribs for the body portion.

The interior of the body portion A is provided with a lining 24 of metal. In practice it is desirable to form. this lining of a metal possessing high corrosion resisting properties, and Alleghany metal has been found highly satisfactory in use. As shown, the liner 24 is, in effect, a box having an open upper end, and comprises a unit having side walls 26 to thelower edges of which the bottom wall 28 is joined by seams 30; the unit being of a size to nicely fit the interior of the body portion as clearly shown in Fig. 1. If desired, in order to. provide a unit devoid of crevices in which foreign matter may collect, the bottom and side walls of the unit may be connected by weld metal in addition to the seams 30. This results in a unit having an interior which is entirely smooth. The upper edges of the side walls 26 of the liner unit are outwardly flanged as at 34 to rest upon the beforementioned shoulder 16 of the side Walls of the body portion of the container and'secured to said side walls. over the flanges 34 is a gasket 36 (see Fig. 1.)

The container is provided with a cover B, as before mentioned, having a. main portion 38 formed of insulating material such as Balsa wood, and a rim or edge 40 of a differentand preferably a tougher material such as wood of any desired kind; the rim or edge 40 being formed of connected pieces having offset inwardly extending portions 42 which support the main portion 38. as clearly shown in Fig. 1.

The cover B is provided with an external sheathing 44 of galvanized steel or the like the edges of which are downwardly flanged as at 46 and reversely bent as at 48, so as to conceal the side edges of the cover and to underlie the rim thereof adjacent its outer edge. The cover B is further provided with an inner liner 50 of Alleghany metal or other suitable material possessing high corrosion resistant properties. The sheathing 44 and liner 50 are secured to the cover, but obviously this may be in any preferred or desired manner. As shown clearly in Fig. 1. the offset portions 42 of the cover extend into the cut away portions of the upper edge of the body portion, and gaskets 52 are interposed between the cover and the upper edge of the body portion for substantially sealing the interior of the box against the admission of outportions of the straps overlying the side side air and against free escape of carbon dioxide gas from the container.

From the construction just described it is apparent that a container or box has been provided which is devoid of elements which extend from outside the container into the interior thereof and which might serve as conductors for the transmission of heat into the interior of the container. The box is provided with a latching means 54 for .normally retaining the cover B on the body portion A and the box further provided with handles 56 and with a frame 58 for receiving a destination sign.

The trays O for holding the goods to be stored or transported are shown more in detail in Figs. 5 and 6. The'trays each comprise side walls 60 and the bottom 62 and preferably are each formed from a single blank of metal cut to provide the bottom and the four wall sections, the blank being then folded to shape. Certain of the walls 60 are provided with flanges 64 which lap the adjacent walls and are secured thereto by weld ing or in any other desired manner. While the trays have been shown as formed of a single blank. it will be apparent that they may be formed of separate connected elements if desired.

For permitting circulation of carbon dioxide gas as hereinafter described, the walls and bottoms of the trays are provided with a plurality of apertures 66, and for stiffening the walls of the trays the upper edges thereof are folded to form beads 68, the adjacent corners of the walls at the beads being mitered and welded together at 70.

The trays C are superposed in the body portion of the container and are retained in spaced relation relative to the inner liner thereof and relative to the bottom of the body portion of the container and also relative to each other whereby to permit free circulation of carbon dioxide gas within the container, and to that end the trays at their hottoms are provided with corner straps 72 secured to'the bottom wall 62 at the corners of the trays. Straps 72 serve as feet to space the trays from each other when in superposed relation and to space the lower tray from the bottom of the liner of the body portion of the container.

To reinforce the trays, as well as to pro vide a means for further spacing them from each other when in superposed relation, corner straps 76 are employed which are arranged diagonally across the upper edges of adjacent side walls and have their ends secured to said side walls as by welding. It will be apparent that when the trays are arranged in position as shown in Fig. 1, they are spaced from each other due to the straps 72 and 76. It will also be apparent that the ends of the straps, or to be more exact, those walls of the trays, define ribs or spacers 78 for preventing the trays from contacting with the liner of the body portion of the container and thus retain the trays in a position such that a space is provided entirely around the trays for permitting circulation of carbon dioxide gas.

The solid carbon dioxide is retained in a tray D, shown in detail in Figs. 7 and 8 and comprising a structure preferably of a cellular material such as wood, or it may be formed of Balsa wood or any other suitable or desired material. The'tray comprises a base 80 and side walls 82, the latter having recesses 84 of substantial extent formed therein and certain of said side walls are provided with openings 87. -Side walls 82 being recessed provide a construction in which the corners of the tray areof greater thickness than the portions of the side walls intermediate the corners as shown at 86; these portions 86 forming in effect ribs forretainingthe tray D in proper position relative to the body portion of the container whereby the recesses 84, being define passages for the gas subliming from the solid carbon dioxide. In practice it has been found desirable to form the tray such that the corners 86 of the side walls will abut or contact with the liner 26 to aid in holding the trays in their proper positions within the box. The openings 87' define hand holes'for removing the tray D and also rovide escape openings for gas subliming rom the solid carbon dioxide retained in the tray D.

In use, the goods to be transported or stored are placed in the trays C, and the trays arranged in the container as shown in Fig. 1. The tray D containing solid carbon dioxide is then placed in the container and rests upon the upper tray C, being supported in spaced relation thereto by reason of the straps 76. When the cover the container and the solid carbon dioxide sublimes, it will be obvious that the gas being relative heavy, will drop by gravity thus filling the interior of the container and serving to expel any nute apertures which, of necessity, are present in the joints between the cover B and the body portion A. It will be obvious that as the carbon dioxide gas increases in temperature it will be forced upwardly in the container due to the subliming of thesolid carbon dioxide and the resultant dropping of the colder carbon dioxide gas and said warmer gas will be forced out of the container. This is due to the fact that carbon dioxide gas is so elusive that it will escape through the minutest openings.

The drawings herein show one embodiment of the invention, but it is to be understood that they are for illustrative purposes only and various changes in the form and proporspaced from the container walls,-

B is secured in position on air therefrom through miby the upper tray, and

tions of. the construction shown may be made within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A portable refrigerating device comprising an insulated container having a plurality of superposed trays therein for hol in goods to be refrigerated, means for maintainingthe trays in spaced relation relative to each other and relative to the walls of the container, and a container for solid carbon dioxide supported by the upper tray in spaced relation thereto and arranged in spaced relation relative to the walls of the container whereby gas evolved from the solid carbon dioxide may permeate the interior of the container to provide an insulating blanket of cold gas around the goods in the trays.

2. In a refrigerating container of. the kind described, a chamber to be refrigerated, a plurality of trays for holding goods to be refrigerated arranged in the chamber in superposed spaced relation aud in spaced relation relative to the walls of the chamber, and a solid carbon dioxide container supported by the upper tray.

3. In a portable refrigerating device of the kind described, a chamber to be refri erated, a plurality of trays for holding goo s to be refrigerated arranged in the chamber in superposed spaced relation and in spaced relation relative to the walls of the chamber, a solid carbon dioxide container supported closure means for the chamber removably secured thereto in sealing relation therewith whereby to prevent admission of air to the interior of the chamber.

4. In a refrigerating container of the kind described, a chamber to be refrigerated, trays for holding goods to be refrigerated arranged in the chamber, stiffening means on the side walls of the trays projecting beyond the plane of said walls to define spacing elements for retaining the trays in spaced relation relative to the inner walls of the chamber, supporting elements secured to the lower surfaces of the trays, said stiffening elements including straps with which said supporting elements of superposed trays contact whereby to position the trays in spaced relation relative to each other, and a solid carbon dioxide container supported by the uppermost tray and arranged in spaced relation relative to the walls of the chamber.

5. In a portable refrigerating container, a chamber to be refrigerated. a cover forming part of the container and removably secured thereto in substantial sealing relation whereby to prevent the admission of outside air into the chamber, a metallic liner for the chamber possessing high corrosion resistant properties, lading holding trays in said chamber arranged in superposed spaced relation, combined handle and spacing elements secured to the side walls of the trays for retaining'the trays in spaced relation relative to the liner, and a container for solid carbon dioxide arranged .in the chamber above the trays.

6. In a portable refrigerating container, a chamber to be refrigerated, a plurality of lading holding trays in the chamber, said trays having a plurality of apertures in the walls thereof and being further provided with corner braces secured to the upper edges of adjacent side walls for stiffening the trays and for defining spacer elements for retaining the trays in spaced relation relative to the inner walls of the chamber, a container for solid carbon dioxide arranged in the chamber above the trays, said trays being arranged in superposed spaced relation whereby gas subliming from the solid carbon dioxide may permeate the chamber and entirely surround the lading in the trays.

7. In a portable refrigerating container, a chamber to be refrigerated, closure means for the container removably secured thereto in sealing relation, a plurality of trays in said chamber arranged in superposed spaced relation with respect to each other and spaced from the Walls of the chamber, a container for solid carbon dioxide supported by the upper tray and having side walls spaced from the walls of the chamber for the greater part thereof to define passages whereby gas subliming from the solid carbon dioxide may ass downwardly in the chamber, the sealing means of the closure being such as to prevent admission of air into the chamber but to permit leakage of carbon dioxide gas from the chamber; the specific gravity of the carbon dioxide gas setting up and maintaining circulation of said gas through the chamber.

8. In a refrigerating container of the kind described, a plurality of trays arranged in superposed relation, certain of said trays having a plurality of apertures in the walls and bottoms thereof and being adapted to hold goods to be refrigerated, the uppermost tray being adapted to hold solid carbon dioxide, and braces arranged across the upper edges of adjacent side walls of said first named trays and defining spacer elements for maintaining the trays in relative spaced relation whereby gas subliming from the solid carbon dioxide may permeate the interior of the container and circulate through the apertures in the trays into direct and intimate contact with the goods therein.

9. In a portable refrigerating container, a. plurality of trays arranged in superposed relation, certain of said trays being adapted to receive goods to be refrigerated and the uppermost tray being adapted to support solid carbon dioxide, means on the goods supporting trays for retaining them in spaced relation relative to the inner surfaces of the container and relative to each other to define spaces substantially entirely around the trays whereby gas subliming from the solid carbon dioxide will permeate the interior of the container and form an insulating blanket substantially entirely surrounding the goods to be refrigerated and the solid carbon dioxide.

10. vIn combination with a container adapted to be refrigerated, means for supporting goods to be maintained at a refrigerating temperature comprising a tray adapted to be received in the container and of such dimensions that clearance is provided between said tray and the inner walls of the container, said tray including side walls, a bottom wall, and corner braces connected adjacent said walls, said braces constituting combined spacing elements and handle portions to maintain the tray in proper position in the container and to permit free insertion or removal of said tray from the container.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

JOSEPH L. WOOD. 

